In the 90s, you could acquire max-level skills every 14 days.

Zhang Yong rushed downstairs in his slippers, nearly slipping on the cement steps.

A group of people had gathered in the courtyard downstairs.

The first thing he saw was a brand new Jialing 125 motorcycle.

The car body is dark red, the fuel tank is shiny, the plastic film on the rearview mirror is still on, and the temporary license plate is already attached.

Two large red silk flowers were tied to the handlebars, like a wedding procession.

Then I saw two more people.

Zhang Defa gripped the handlebars tightly with both hands, leaning back with his face flushed red.

Across from them, a burly middle-aged man held the fuel tank with one hand and pulled Zhang Defa's arm with the other, pushing him back.

The man was half a head taller than Zhang Defa, with a strong build, but his face was pale and sweat was beading on his forehead.

It's Wei Dabiao.

"I said I won't accept it, and that means I won't!"

With a burst of strength, Zhang Defa pushed outwards with both hands, leaving a black mark on the ground where the front wheel of the motorcycle scraped.

Wei Dabiao stumbled, his body swayed, but he stubbornly refused to let go.

"Old Zhang! Listen to me—"

"There's nothing to say! Take it back!"

Grandpa Chen was sweating profusely, his hands frantically trying to pry between the two of them.

"Stop pushing! Stop pushing! You'll make them fall!"

Zhang Yong ran over in three quick steps.

"dad!"

Zhang Defa looked back, still angry.

"You've come at the right time! You and this—this—"

He pointed at Wei Dabiao, unsure of how to address him.

Wei Dabiao spoke first.

"Yuko! I'm here to thank you!"

He released the handlebars, a smile in his eyes.

Zhang Yong met Wei Dabiao's gaze and understood the situation in two seconds.

This is to deliver a big gift.

Zhang Yong glanced down at the motorcycle in front of him. A Jialing 125, brand new.

These days, a Jialing car costs at least four thousand yuan, and with the license plate and paperwork, it goes up to five thousand.

He looked at Zhang Defa's expression again—gritting his teeth, raising his chin, his face puffed up like a big eggplant.

Who is Zhang Defa? He is a retired soldier with a third-class merit award.

You give him a bag of rice, a bottle of oil, and a pack of cigarettes, and he'll politely decline a couple of times before accepting it without hesitation.

But a motorcycle worth several thousand dollars?

In Zhang Defa's mind, this was called accepting bribes.

"Uncle Wei," Zhang Yong called out, "Don't push it yet."

Then he turned to look at Zhang Defa.

"Dad, please let go first."

Zhang Defa still wouldn't budge.

"I don't care who he is. I'd rather die than take this car."

Wei Dabiao, standing to the side, grew anxious.

"Old Zhang! Your son repaired three Dongfeng trucks for me! He saved my entire distillery! How much are those three trucks worth? Over a hundred thousand! What's wrong with me giving him a motorcycle as a gift!"

"You're sending me a hammer!"

Zhang Defa slapped the car seat.

"My son is helping out because he's doing a good deed! It's not like he's making a business deal!"

"You brought something so expensive, what will people say if word gets out? They'll say our Zhang family is taking advantage? I can't afford to lose face like that!"

His voice got louder and louder.

"I'd rather starve to death than accept this kind of thing!"

Wei Dabiao's face turned bright red.

"What do you mean by 'this kind of thing'! The invoice is here! The license plate is here! It was bought in the name of the winery, and the transaction was made through the company's account! Where did this bribery come from!"

"Who cares what he bought it under!"

Zhang Defa stood his ground, "No means no! Go back!"

The two grown men started pushing each other again.

Zhang Yong stood to the side, his lips twitching slightly.

Suddenly, images from short videos in 2026 flashed through his mind.

Two northerners were treating each other to a meal and they argued over who would pay the bill.

Two grown men were clinging to the cash register, one stuffing money in and the other shoving it out, leaving the cashier caught in the middle, unsure of whose money to take.

In the end, some people even overturned the counter, and others tore the clothes.

The scene before me is exactly the same as those videos.

Just as Zhang Yong was figuring out how to separate the two stubborn guys, he heard a rapid bicycle bell ringing behind him.

Ring ring—

"Dad! Why are you running so fast! I can't catch you!"

Wei Shuyun rode in on a bicycle. As soon as she entered, she saw two adults pushing and shoving each other in the yard.

"Dad! Didn't we agree to sit down and talk things over when we arrived?"

"Did you scare them again?!"

She threw her bicycle against the wall and ran over to grab Wei Dabiao's arm.

Wei Dabiao continued pushing and shoving while trying to clarify his position.

"No, honey! I'm telling you, I'll go first in my tricycle, you follow slowly on your bike..."

"Who knew that before your dad even sat down, this old Zhang pushed me!"

"You were the one who pushed the car over here first!"

Zhang Defa was not to be outdone.

Zhang Yong quickly stepped to the center.

"Alright, alright, stop pushing it."

He held the handlebars with one hand and pressed down on Zhang Defa's arm with the other.

When Zhang Defa saw Wei Shuyun arrive, he immediately lowered his voice.

With a young girl present, it was too embarrassing to push and shove her father again.

But his face remained as hard as a sheet.

"Well, I know you mean well. But this won't do, it's too expensive."

He released his grip, took a step back, and his tone became serious.

"Sigh, you should go back!"

The neighbors who were watching looked at each other in bewilderment.

Grandpa Chen sighed repeatedly beside him.

"Old Zhang, they meant well..."

Zhang Defa glared at him.

Even good intentions won't work.

The atmosphere froze.

Just then, footsteps came from the stairwell.

Li Guilan came back from outside carrying a bag of garlic sprouts.

As soon as she entered the courtyard, she first saw the red silk-patterned motorcycle, then saw Zhang Defa and a middle-aged man standing on either side of the motorcycle, with the fair-skinned young girl Wei Shuyun holding tightly to the middle-aged man, and a group of neighbors watching the commotion gathered around.

Li Guilan's mind raced for less than three seconds.

He put the vegetable bag on the ground.

She strode over and glanced at Wei Dabiao's face first.

Oh dear, I'm covered in sweat, and it's even a little white underneath.

Li Guilan grabbed Zhang Defa by the ear.

"Zhang Defa!"

"Ouch! What are you doing—"

"Are you blind?! She just came out of the hospital! Look at her face!"

"If you push again! You'll push someone until they pass out, and then you'll be responsible for that!"

Zhang Defa was grabbed by the ear, causing his body to sag by half.

"I--"

"Shut up!"

Li Guilan released her grip, turned around, and gave Wei Dabiao an apologetic smile.

"You must be Factory Director Wei? Yongzi mentioned you to me. Please don't take offense at my husband, Lao Zhang. He's a stubborn and narrow-minded man."

Wei Dabiao quickly waved his hand.

"It's alright, it's alright, sister-in-law. I understand Lao Zhang; he's an upright man."

"He's upright my foot," Li Guilan rolled her eyes at Zhang Defa. "He's just a stubborn mule."

She dusted off her apron and greeted everyone.

"Alright! Stop standing downstairs! It's so hot, let's go upstairs and talk!"

She pointed to the motorcycle.

"Uncle Chen, please leave this car at the entrance of your guardhouse and keep an eye on it for me."

Grandpa Chen nodded repeatedly.

"Don't worry! I'll sit right here, nobody can touch me!"

Li Guilan carried vegetables in one hand and pushed Zhang Defa's back with the other, leading him upstairs.

Zhang Yong followed behind, turned his head and smiled at Wei Shuyun.

Wei Shuyun covered her mouth, her shoulders trembling slightly.

She couldn't hold it in any longer.

......

Just as a group of people reached the corner on the second floor, a head peeked out from the crack in the door on the third floor.

Grandpa Chen's grandson, Chen Yang, is eleven years old and as thin as a monkey.

"Brother Yong! Brother Yong! Is that motorcycle yours?!"

Before Zhang Yong could speak, Chen Yang rushed to his side, his eyes shining.

"Brother Yong, could you take me for a ride? Just one ride! I'll sit in the back! I promise I'll hold on tight and won't move!"

Zhang Yong patted him on the head.

"Have you written your essay yet?"

Chen Yang's face fell instantly.

"...Two hundred words are still needed."

"We'll talk about cycling after I finish writing."

Chen Yang returned to the house dejectedly.

The door on the fourth floor remained unmoved.

But as Zhang Yong passed by, he vaguely heard a spitting sound coming from behind the door.

Sun Jian's wife closed the door tightly.

But Zhang Yonggan was certain that there was a pair of eyes peering through that crack in the door.

......